Driver in Sandy crash going over 100 mph while drunk, charges say

FILE - A driver who police say walked away from a crash that left his friend critically injured is believed to have been going more than 100 mph while driving drunk, according to charging documents.

SANDY — A driver who police say walked away from a crash that left his friend critically injured is believed to have been going more than 100 mph while driving drunk, according to charging documents.

Jeffrey Travis Pettit, 34, of Sandy, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with leaving the scene of a serious accident, a third-degree felony.

On Oct. 18, a car traveling north on Sandy Parkway near 9100 South veered off the side of the road about 11 p.m. and hit a tree, causing the vehicle to spin out before coming to a stop.

A 38-year-old passenger was ejected and thrown 30 to 40 feet, landing in a nearby parking lot, according to police. Clinton Miller was taken to a local hospital in critical condition "with head injuries and brain bleed," charging document state.

A passer-by who witnessed the crash attempted to talk to Pettit, the driver. But Pettit told him "there was no other person in the car and walked away from the scene," the charges state.

Despite a search of the area, including the use of police K-9s, officers did not find the driver. Police said they found "containers of alcohol" and "some narcotics" spread out in the area of the crash.

Detectives later learned that Pettit and Miller had been with a third person prior to the crash. The two men left to go to a nearby gas station. When Pettit met up with the third person about 45-minutes later, he had a cut on his forehead, the charges state.

"He told (his friend) he'd been driving over 100 mph when he lost control of the car and crashed into a tree," according to charging documents. "Pettit said he fled from the scene of the accident because he was drunk. Pettit became emotional and said he'd 'hurt Clinton.'"

Pettit was located the next day by police at his home and was arrested.

As of Oct. 19, Miller was unconscious and suffering from a traumatic head injury, but was stable, investigators said.

Pettit has a history of drug possession, shoplifting and other drug-related crimes, according to state court records.